138 PASSERES. PARADISEAD^E. 



very long, flexible, decomposed feathers ; or else 

 the back of the neck is furnished with elevated 

 plumes, stiff, and of moderate length. 



The Great Emerald (Samalia apoda, LINN.), 

 represented in the upper figure of the above en- 

 graving, is about as large as a pigeon ; the body 

 generally is of a fine maronne brown, the fore- 

 head clothed with close-set feathers of a velvety 

 black, shot with emerald-green ; the top of the 

 head and upper part of the neck are brilliant yel- 

 low ; the upper part of the throat golden-green ; 

 the front of the neck violet-brown ; the flanks are 

 adorned with bundles of very long plumes, with 

 loose beards of a yellowish hue ; these extend far 

 beyond the tail-feathers ; two long horny and 

 downy shafts, set with stiff hairs, terminating in a 

 point, proceed from the sides of the rump, and 

 sweeping in a circular direction extend to the 

 length of two feet. This is the description of the 

 male ; the female is destitute of the long floating 

 plumes, and her coat, though still richly coloured, 

 is less lustrous than that of her consort. 



Our knowledge of these beautiful birds in a 

 state of nature is almost entirely due to the ob- 

 servations of M. Lesson, who, though he laments 

 the shortness of his stay at New Guinea, which 

 lasted but thirteen days, appears to have made 

 good use of his time. " The Birds of Paradise," 

 remarks this naturalist, " or, at least, the Emerald 

 (S. apoda) the only species concerning which we 

 possess authentic intelligence, live in troops in the 

 vast forests of the country of the Papuans, a group 

 of islands situated under the equator. . . . They 

 are birds of passage, changing their quarters accord- 

 ing to the monsoons. The females congregate in 



